Schulich Community Robotics Program

We envision the SCRP of the future as being a hub that connects the community with innovative technologies, and especially robotics, at the University of Calgary.

Schulich Community Robotics Program (SCRP)

The University of Calgary’s Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) has been running free robotics workshops for kids since the spring of 2012. This initiative was formalized as the SCRP in January 2013, since which time we’ve tried to answer the question: what is the most fun way of becoming robot-savvy? Technological prowess is something that can be learned from a young age, and robotics is no exception. Thus, our mentors seek to share their passion for all of the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM)-based skills that go into building a robot, as an effort to engage the community and ignite a love for cool technologies in Calgary youth.

Last spring, we delivered 12 two-hour workshops that taught 6-15 year old Calgarians basic design, building, programming, and testing skills using the Lego Mindstorms platform. We averaged 25 kids per workshop, many of whom built robots that competed in robotics competitions such as the annual Western Canadian Robot Games. Workshops were taught by 5-10 volunteer mentors, primarily from the Schulich School of Engineering.

Though we are still in our infancy, we envision the SCRP of the future as being a hub that connects the community with innovative technologies, and especially robotics, at the University of Calgary. We would like to provide something of a free
robotics ‘apprenticeship, ’ where kids can discover their passion for STEM topics at an early age and build on them as they grow, where university students can gain practical experience and leadership skills, where industry professionals can share their expertise and foster up-and-comers in their field, and where technology enthusiasts from all over Calgary can form a community.

The SCRP is led by Rachael L’Orsa, a graduate student in electrical engineering at the University of Calgary’s Schulich School of Engineering. The program is supported by the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering.

Website: www. ucalgary. ca /robotics
Contact: robots@ucalgary. ca